15:45 Exeter

Tuesday 11 April 2023

All13:1513:4514:1514:4515:1515:4516:15

Thank You Jennifer 'Rabbit' Slattery Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:46 | Winning time: 6m 2.8s

Miss Fairfax¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: D A Jacob| T: H Morrison| OR: 120| CD

14/1

Fairly useful novice hurdler around 3m last term, landing the odds in a C&D maiden before following up in a weak Catterick novice. Ended that campaign with a respectable third in a listed race at Doncaster but she was well held on belated reappearance/handicap bow at Newbury 18 days ago.

Form: 23113-8

Come On Gruff¹⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 119| BF

14/1

Dual winner last term and stepped up on low-key reappearance when a close third in a 10-runner Kempton handicap (24.5f. soft) in November. Absent since and more needed here up 2 lb but he still has low mileage.

Form: 3161-53

Ioupy Collonges²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Ben Bromley⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 117| BF

85/40

Bumper winner in November and stepped up on hurdles debut second here when landing a Chepstow maiden in good style (19.4f, good to soft). Turned over when odds-on for handicap bow at Taunton since but this 5-y-o remains of interest and may well benefit from this step up in trip.

Form: 231212

So Said I²³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Tizzard| OR: 117| CD

10/1

Off the mark in a C&D mares' novice last term and went on to bag handicaps at Ludlow and Newbury. Understandably looked in need of the run back from 13 months off at Chepstow and this run should reveal more.

Form: 14116-0

Ballymagroarty Boy^b¹⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: Tom Buckley⁽³⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 117| D

13/2

Sole success to date was gained in a Haydock handicap hurdle back in December 2018 but appears to retain plenty of ability judged on placed efforts on last 5 starts in this sphere. Probably vulnerable for win purposes but likely to give another good account all the same.

Form: 23U323

Gerico Ville^p²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: J E Moore| T: C Gordon| OR: 115| D

6/1

Good second to Ramo (winner again since) at Plumpton last month and has hit the target either side of that, digging deep when landing the odds back at Plumpton (25f, soft) 3 weeks ago. Nudged up just 2 lb for that and further progress is possible.

Form: F-43121

Ballydisco²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr Ben Sutton⁽⁷⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 115

9/2

Maiden Irish pointer who appeared to improve for the step up to 3m at Ffos Las (heavy) where he forced a dead-heat with a bang in-form rival in The Imposter (successful again since). 5 lb rise tolerable and he needs considering.

Form: 2-62631

Snipe³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 114

11/1

Duly landed the odds in a 2¾m Ffos Las maiden back from a break in February. Subsequent Cheltenham handicap bow was disappointing and while he's probably worth another chance, others make more appeal on this occasion.

Form: 3-23F17

Biowavego¹³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: K Brogan| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 114| D

16/1

Won a Uttoxeter maiden in the summer and struck at the second time of asking in handicaps at Worcester (23f, heavy) in October. However, needs to bounce back having flopped at Southwell next time.

Form: 3-2131P

Raddon Top^p¹⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: James Davies| T: C J Down| OR: 113| CD

22/1

Landed hat-trick of handicap hurdles here last term and built on promising chasing debut when landing an 8-runner handicap back at this course (3m, heavy) in January. Subsequent efforts have been poor, though, and now has a bit to prove.

Form: 3315PP

Non-Runners

Skandiburg¹⁸

Weight: 11-9| Age: 9

T: Charlotte Fuller J: G Sheehan

Hauraki Gulf²⁰

Weight: 11-5| Age: 8

T: Deborah Cole J: Chris Ward

Forecasts

Ioupy Collonges (85/40), Ballydisco (9/2), Gerico Ville (6/1), Ballymagroarty Boy (13/2), So Said I (10/1), Hauraki Gulf (10/1), Snipe (11/1), Skandiburg (12/1), Come On Gruff (14/1), Miss Fairfax (14/1), Biowavego (16/1), Raddon Top (22/1)

This is tougher than the Plumpton handicap GERICO VILLE landed last month but he is clearly progressing and could still be on a handy mark having gone up just 2 lb. Next on the list is Ioupy Collonges, who brings potential to the table now upped in trip for this handicap debut. Ballydisco has to be feared judged on his improved effort at Ffos Las where he shared the spoils with a prolific and progressive rival, while Hauraki Gulf, another making his handicap bow, also merits respect.